Apparatus for assembling articles



Filed Jan. 20, 1950 2 SHEETQ-SHEET 1 y 1952 c. A. SHIVODER, JR 2,604,923

- APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES v INVENTOR CASH/VODER JR. EF LL I By ATTORNEY July 1952 c. A. SHIVODER, JR

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1950 lNl/EN for? a. A. SH/VODER JR.

ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1952 2,604,923 APPARATUS Folt ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Charles A. Shivoder, Jr.,

to Western Electric Towson, Md., assighor 1 om'pany; Incorporated,

New York, N Y, a corporation of New York ApplicationJanuary- 20, 1950,. Serial No. 139.6981

This invention relates to apparatus, for assembling articles and more particularly to apparatus for crimping cup-shaped covers on bases.

In certain types of communication equipment, conductors are connected to an element, such as a resistor, a fuse, or the like, mounted on a supporting base and enclosed in a housing crimped to the base. In the past, it has been, dilficult to crimp the housing to secure it to the base because the conductors running to the outside of the base interfered with normal assembling operations.

An object of the invention is to. provide new and improved apparatus for assembling articles.

A further object of the invention to provide new and improved apparatus for assembling cupshaped articles on bases.

Another object of the invention to provide new and improved apparatus for crimping cupshaped covers to bases having conductorsextending from the bases.

An apparatus illustrating certain. features of the invention may include means for supporting One of a pair of interfitting elements and means for pressing the other of the elements intointerfitting engagement with an element supported by the element-supporting means. There also is provided means for swaging the second-mentioned element to secure itto the first-mentioned element.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an apparatus forming a specificembodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, top plan. view. of an apparatus forming one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, bottom plan view. of an article assembled by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

- Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1, 2; 3 and .4 an apparatus for assembling a cup-shaped base I0 having a flange l2 and a cup-shaped protecting and mounting housing 4, after a protector l6 connected to conductors |8-|8 extending through an opening in the base has been secured to the base by bolts |9|9. An arcuate anvil 22 mounted in an arcuate holder 24 connected to a table top 26 is Fit 4 Claims. (01. 153-21) provided with an arcuate groove 28 to provide clearance for the ends, of the bolts |'9|9. The anvil is provided with a shoulder 29 extending therearound to supportthe edge of the flange l2 ofthe base. A cup-shaped presser 32 secured adjustably to an arm 34 by nuts 3636' may be under pressure and an exhaust pipe 56.

pressed against the housing I4 by a, manually op erable toggle-joint linkage 38 to press a shoulder 4|} on the housing l4 against the base I0, in

which position a flange 4| of the housing, l4 ex'-' tends; beyond the flange 12.01? the base. The toggle-joint linkage is of the 'overcenter latching type, and is designedto'latch in the pressing position. The anvil is also provided withclearance recesses 39 -39.

Spring-retractable, chisel-shaped, crimpers 42-42 slidable in bores 43-43 in the holder 24 and keyed by keys 44-44 may be forced by pistons 4646 into engagement with the flange 4| of the housing l4 7 to form crimped portions 4848 in the'flange 4| to lock the housing tov the base It. The pistons 4646 are actuated by compressed. air supplied to cylinders 59-5|J through a manually operable, four-way valve 52 connected to a pipe 54. leading to source of fluid inders are bolted to mounting plates 5'|-51 projecting from the table 26. a

A hook 58 (Fig.2) is carried by the arm 34 of the toggle-joint linkage 33v through a clevisGB to which the hook is adjustably secured by a tapped bore 62 formed in the clevis, a threaded portion 64 of the hook and a lock nut 66. A guide surface 68 guides the hook cup-shaped press'er32 is moved into pressingengagement with the housing M which happens when the arm 34 is moved to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2.. In this position of the'arm the arm 3 is slightly to the right of the center of gravity of the hook and "the clevi's, as viewed in Fig, 2. Hencawhen the toggle-joint linkagev 38 is actuated to swing the arm 34' in a, counterclockwise direction, the hook 58 catches on the housing I4, and lifts the housing and thebase Ill off the arcuate anvil 22 toifacilitate removal of the assembled article from the apparatus. This may be done' by moving the conductors |8|8 laterally through slots 70, 12 and 14 formed in the arcuate anvil 22, the holder 24 and the table 26, respectively.

Opemtion With the base In above the upper surfaces of the holder 24 and the anvil 22, as viewed in Fig.

The cylinto. a position slightly below the flange 4| of the housing when the 34, a pin fil'connecting the cl'evis to positions for crimping. Both the top of the anvil and the shoulder 29 thereon engage and support the base against the force of the housing pressed against the base. V v

The valve 52 is actuated manually to. supply air under pressure to the outer ends of the cylinders 50-50 and exhaust the air from the,

inner ends of the cylinders. This actuates the crimpers 42-4-2 through the pistons 46-46 to force the crimpers, into: engagement with 'the flange}! of the housing I4 to permanently deform' the engaged portions of the flanges 4i and L! in interlocking positions in which the flange fil' extends overthe flange l2 of the base it). The valve 52 then 'isv actuated to cause retraction'of the pistons tii flfi-and'the crimpers :i242 are, spring-retracted away'from the housing M to provide" clearance for removal of the assembled article.

The toggle-joint linkage 38'. is actuatedmanuallyt'o' swing'theQpresser-BZ away from the housingl This catches thehook 58 on the housing M, and lifts the housing and the base N] from the anvil 22. After the housing and the base have been lifted 'from the anvil -22, the housing fallsa'wa'y from the hook,fandthe hook and the presser are moved topositions providing clearance for removal of fthe article. The article then is removed by movingflthe conductors l8.-l8 laterally through the slots l0, l2 and 14 while the base l and the housing 14 are maintained in positionselevated with respect to the anvil 22 and the holder 24. The apparatus then may be used to'assemble another base and housing. The above-described apparatus is simple and inexpensive in constructionfand operation, and is highly efficient and r'apid in assembling and removing articles The apparatus locks the housing 14 to the base at several points so that the joint formed therebetween is ve'ry tight and positive, and does so in asingle' crimping operationlf'f' i .Whatis claimed is: g 1.1. 'Anapparatusforiastening housings to bases having conductors and projections secured there; to," which comprises an 'arcuate anvil having a groove therein. providing clearance for ,projece. tions on a base whichniay'fbe seated thereon, .an arcuate holder" disposed around the anvil and provided with guidelpassages extending radially toward the'anvil, aplurality of crimpe'rs mounted slidablyfin the 7 said holder and'said anvil having aligned slots to permitconduc'tors secured to a base to be 6 movedllaterally through the slots while thebase is bingseated uponthe anvil, a' presser movable towardand away irom the anvil for pressing a guide passages in the holder,

4 housing over a base seated on the anvil, a hook carried by the presser, means for guiding the hook so that it may engage and remove a base from the anvil when the presser is moved away from the base, and means for actuating the crimpers to lock the housing to the base.

2. An apparatus for fastening housings to bases having conductors andprojections secured thereto, which comprises an arcuate anvil having a groove therein for providing clearance for projections on a base which may be seated thereon, an arcuate sleeve disposed around the anvil and provided with guide passages therein, a plurality otcrimpers mounted slidably in the guide passages in thegsleeve, said sleeve and said anvil having alignedslots for permitting conductors secured to a base to be moved laterally through the slots while the base is being seated on the anvil, a presser movable toward the anvil for pressing a housing over a base seated on the nvuiand also movable away from the anvil for freeing the housing, means for actuating the crimpers to lock the housing to the base, and means responsive'to movement of the presser for'moving 'a fastened housing and base cfi the anvil when the presser is moved away from the anvilLf j.

35Ar1 apparatus for fastening housings to bases, which comprisesfian anvil for receiving a base thereon, a presser positioned above and movable toward and away from the anvil for pressing a housing over a'basepositioned on the anvil, a hook pivotably suspended from the presser for engaging and removing afastened housing and base from the anvil when the presser is moved away from the anvil, means for guiding the hook toaposition under the base when the presser is moved toward the'anvil, and means for locking the housing to the base.

4. An apparatus for fastening a housing to a base having, elongated projections protruding from, the bottom thereof, which comprises an anvil'upon whicha case may be seated, said anvil having a slot through which projections may .be moved laterally while the base is being seated upon the anvil, a presser movable toward and away from the anvil for pressing a housing against a base seated on the anvil, a plurality of crimpers spaced about the anvil and movable toward and away mm the base seated thereon, means ior'simultaneously actuating the crimpers to fasten a housing to the'base, and means responsive to the pressing.means for'unseating a fastened housing and base from the anvil when the presser isfm'oved. away therefrom; 7 CHARLES A. SHIVODER, J3. asr nasucss CITED The following" references are oi record in the file of this patent?- g 111 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number V Name Date 91,248" "I May's et'al. ;Jan. 15; 1 869 264,704 Jordan Sept. 19, 1882 888,264 Rhodes May 19, 1908 1,9 i63756 Oberg 

